Removable climbing step for pole



Feb.'24,'1970 L. E. H ERRENKOHL 3,497,033

REMOVABLE CLIMBING STEP FOR POLE Filed Feb. 13, 1969 36" 34 F I G 6 M2 INVENTOR.

LEO E. HERRENKOHL United States Patent 3,497,033 REMOVABLE CLIMBING STEP FOR POLE Leo E. Herrenkohl, Concord, Calif., assignor to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Francisco, Cahf., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 13, 1969, Ser. No. 799,026

Int. Cl. E06c 9/00 US. Cl. 18292 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A removable step for use in climbing steel poles and operable in combination with a mounting base fixed to the pole, comprises an end portion slidably engageable with the mounting base and a foot supporting body portion extending outwardly from the end portion. A movable latch supported within the body portion is engageable with the mounting base to prevent the step from being disconnected inadvertently. The latch is releasable by a simple manipulation when it is desired to remove the step from the pole.

This invention relates to an improved step and mount therefor particularly adapted for installation on various types of poles or towers.

Steps of various types have long been used on poles supporting overhead transmission lines to enable service personnel to climb the poles. On Wooden poles the familiar spike type steps are permanently attached to the side of the pole. Although spike steps are still in use on wooden poles it is desirable to use removable steps at the lower end of such poles to discourage unauthorized persons from climbing them. Such a removable step was recently developed and its specifications and configuration have been standardized by the power transmission industry. On wooden poles such steps were removably attached to mounting plates secured in place by large lag screws. For various reasons wooden poles have been gradually replaced by steel poles for carrying transmission lines. On such poles it was necessary to provide removable steps in order to preserve the optimum esthetic effect of such poles. A serious problem of safety arose in the development of such a detachable step, namely that of providing a means for locking the step on the pole so that it could not be detached therefrom inadvertently as the climber was ascending or descending the pole.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a removable step that solves the aforesaid problem and which, when placed in position on the pole, cannot be removed unless it is intentionally manipulated to release it from the pole.

Removable steps are also necessary on other structures such as concrete towers. It is, therefore, another object of my invention to provide a removable, yet lockable step in combination with a mounting base or support that can readily be fixed to either metal or concrete structures including various forms of poles or towers.

In accomplishing the aforesaid general objects my invention comprises a unique latching member which is positioned on the step body so as to cooperate with the mounting base on the pole to lock the step automatically when it is installed. The latching member is located within the step body Where it will not be touched when the step is in use. It is hinged at one end and positioned so that its free end will bind against the mounting base to 3,497,033 Patented Feb. 24, 1970 hold the step in place if force is applied to the step proper. However, simple actuation of the latching mem ber itself will release the step.

Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide a removable step for a steel pole that is safe to use because once installed it can only be released therefrom by intentional actuation of a latching member that is protected from any inadvertent contact during normal use of the step.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a removable climbing step that cooperates with a mounting base which when fixed to either a steel pole or a concrete tower has unusual strength and durability.

A further object of my invention is to provide a removable climbing step that cannot be inadvertently disengaged from a mounting base therefor that is installed on a pole or tower and which is particularly well adapted for ease and economy of manufacture.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation and partially in section, wtih a portion broken away, of a removable step and a mounting base therefor embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the step of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the step of FIG. 1 taken along the line 44 thereof;

FIG. 5 is a view in elevation and partially in section showing the step of FIGS. 1 and 2 attached to its mounting base on a pole, with its latching member in the locking position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in section taken along line 66 of FIG. 5 showing the latching member in plan view; and

FIG. 7 is a front view in elevation of a mounting base according to the present invention.

With reference to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a climbing step 10 embodying the principles of the present invention as it appears when installed for use on a tubular metal pole 12 of the type used for supporting power or communication lines. As shown, the step has an inner end or foot portion 14 and an integral body portion 16 that extends outwardly and upwardly at a slight angle, terminating at a curved upper outer end portion 18. In cross section, as shown in FIG. 3 the body portion has generally an inverted U-shape formed by a top portion 20 having a central recess 22 along its length to provide increased bending strength and with spaced apart side walls 24 that extend downwardly and are substantially parallel.

At the foot portion, the side walls and top portion bend around to form a planar end wall 26 having an inverted U-shape formed by a central opening 28 (see FIG. 4). The step is made from a strong, durable material such as a high strength, hot rolled carbon steel and is preferably galvanized to prevent corrosion.

Cooperating with the step is a mounting base member 30 which, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, is fixed to the surface of the pole 12 or to any structure to which the step is to be attached. This mounting member has a front plate portion 32 of uniform thickness and an elongated shape that is similar to but larger than the opening 28 in the end wall of the step. On the inside of the front plate portion and surrounding an elongated opening 34 therein is a boss-like integral ridge portion 36. The thickness of this ridge portion is uniform and is slightly greater than the thickness of the end wall 26 of the step. The mounting base member is fixed to the wall of a steel pole or to a mounting plate (not shown) preferably by a weldment 38 that is applied through the elongated opening 34 as the ridge portion is held flush against the surface of the pole. Such a weldment, which fuses the inside of the opening 34 to the pole surface, can be made with ease and efficiency and provides an unusually strong and durable connection of the mounting base member. Moreover, it provides a weldment that is easily galvanized so that th installation can be well protected from corrosion. When the step is to be used on a steel pole the mounting base member is welded as described directly to its surface. However, as stated, the mounting member could be welded to a plate which is embedded in concrete or attached to some other form of tower structure.

On the front or outer surface of the mounting base, above the upper end of the opening 34 a bar-like small horizontal protuberance 40 is provided which extends outwardly from the face of the front plate portion 32 and functions to assure the locking of the step in place, as will now be seen.

Mounted between the opposite side walls 24 of the step is a movable latch member 42. This member is essentially a fiat plate which is connected at one end to a pivot pin 44 bearing tab portion 46 on each side of the plate that are provided with holes and are bent upwardly to a position normal to the plane of the latching member. (See FIG. 6.) The ends of the pivot pin 44 are journaled in horizontally aligned holes drilled in the step side walls 24 and are held therein by some suitable means such as upsetting the ends of the pins or the sidewall adjacent thereto. Thus, it is seen that the latching member is freely movable on the pivot pin between the sidewalls 24 of the step. Located between the pivot pin on the latching member and the step end wall 26 is another pin 48 which supports the free end of the latching member and holds it normally in a horizontal position between the sidewalls of the step when it is not installed. The length of the latching member measured from the axis of the pivot pin to its free end is slightly greater than the distance from the pivot pin axis to the face of the front plate portion of the mounting base member, so that when the step is installed, its free end engages the outer surface of the mounting base member, at a level slightly above the axis of the pivot pin 44 (see FIG. 1). Now, as shown in FIG. 5, if an upward force is applied to the step itself but not to the latching member, the end of the latching member will jam against the face of the mounting base member and prevent the step from disengaging the mounting base member. The harder the upward force on the step, the more effective the jamming, and thus the step is prevented from being removed from the mounting base member. If, for some reason the free end of the latching member should initially slip on the base member it will eventually encounter the safety protuberance 40 and then be arrested in a jamming position.

When it is necessary to remove the step, the latching member 42 is rotated upwardly past the protuberance 40 by a slight upward force on its free end that may be applied by the climbers finger. This is shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. The outer end of the latching member is provided with a recess 50 which allows it to avoid any portion of the weldment 38 on the mounting base member that may protrude outwardly from its face. With the latching member so disengaged from the mounting member the step can now be moved upwardly out of engagement with it in the normal manner.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention provides a climbing step that is unusually safe and reliable. It is easily removable by simple actuation of the locking latch but cannot be disengaged from its mounting base on a pole or tower by any force applied to the step itself. Thus, it greatly increases the confidence and security of climbers required to ascend high steel poles or towers.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim:

1. A removable step for use in climbing a pole or tower having secured thereto a plurality of mounting base members, said step comprising:

a body portion extending outwardly from a foot portion having an end wall adapted to fit around said mounting base member;

a latching member pivotally supported at only one end by said step body portion and having a length sufficient to cause its free end to engage said mounting base member when the step is installed thereon; whereby an upward force on said step will cause the free end of said latching member to bear tightly against the mounting base and prevent disengagement of the step thorofrom.

2. The step as described in claim 1 wherein said body portion has an inverted U-shape in cross section with parallel, spaced-apart sidewalls, a pivot pin supported by and extending between said sidewalls, and means on said latching member for connecting it to said pivot pin.

3. The step as described in claim 2 wherein said latching member includes bent up integral tab portions at one end, each with a hole through which said pivot pin extends.

4. The step as described in claim 2 wherein said latching member has a substantially rectangular shape with a recess at its end which engages the mounting base member.

5. The step as described in claim 2 including a second pin supported by the sidewall of said step body for retaining said latching member within the body when it is unattached.

6. In combination, a removable step for use in climbing a pole or tower and a mounting base member adapted to be fixed to the pole or tower, said base member comprising an outer flange portion with a central opening and an inner integral portion around said opening adapted to engage the surface of the pole or tower stmcture, said step comprising:

a body portion extending outwardly from a foot portion having an end wall adapted to fit around the sides of said fiange portion;

a latching member pivotally supported at only one end by said step body portion and having a length sufficient to cause its free end to engage the outer surface of said plate portion of said mounting base member when the step is installed thereon; whereby an upward force on said step will cause the free end of said latching member to bear against the mounting base and prevent disengagement 0f the step therefrom.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said latching member is a flat plate; a pin supported in said body portion pivotally connected to one end of said plate.

8. For use in combination with a removable step for climbing poles or towers, a mounting base member adapted to be secured to the pole or tower and comprising: a generally elongated front flange portion having a substantially uniform thickness, a planar front surface and a central opening; a ridge portion integral with and narrower than said front flange portion and extending rearwardly therefrom around said opening, said ridge portion being adapted to engage the surface of and to be fixed to a structural portion of a pole or tower.

9. In combination, a steel pole for supporting electrical transmission lines and a pluralty of mounting base members fixed thereto at predetermined spaced apart locations, each said base member being comprised of a front flange portion with a substantially uniform thickness and a central opening, a ridge portion integral with and narrower than said front flange portion and extending rearwardly from said flange portion around said opening, said ridge portion being adjacent the surface of said pole;

interconnecting said base member and the surface of said pole.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS and a weldment located only Within said opening and 10 REINALDO P MACHADO, Primary Examiner 

